60 | FLIGHTPATH
With so many impersonators over the years, the KLM Douglas DC-2 “Uiver” could be
called the ‘Elvis of the Skies’. Apart from the original DC-2, sadly, lost in an accident,
four other DC-2s and one DC-3 have been painted to represent PH-AJU. All six ‘Uivers’
have a very strong Australian connection, all having flown in Australian skies.
The many Fuselages of ‘Uiver’
VH-AES, ‘Hawdon’ in full ‘Uiver’ markings photographed at RAAF Laverton
during filming of the television series “Half a World Away.” [Bob Fripp]
T
he original Uiver was Douglas DC-2,
c/n 1317, registered PH-AJU. Konin-
klijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij
(KLM) had ordered the DC-2, and
their first one was delivered ex-factory on
25 August 1934, less than two months from
the start of the Melbourne Centenary Air
Race, in which it had been entered. Arriv-
ing in Holland on 11 September, it was as-
sembled, test flown, and operated on the
Amsterdam – Berlin route for a week to
eliminate any bugs and give the crew op-
erational experience.
Carrying race-number 44, PH-AJU, named
‘Uiver’ (Stork) left Mildenhall on 20 October
- It had made 17 stops before the well-
known landing in the early hours of the
morning on the Albury race course, during
heavy rain, with the race course ‘landing
strip’ lit by a multitude of car headlights.
Uiver became bogged and the next morning
it was manoeuvred by man power and de-
parted at 9.55, crossing the finishing line at
Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse at
10.52, the second aircraft to do so, securing
first place in the handicap section of the race.
The crew were K.D. Parmentier (captain),
J.J. Moll (co-pilot), B. Prins (flight engi-
neer), C. van Brugge (radio operator) and
three paying passengers. This Uiver made
several goodwill flights in Australia before
departing for Holland, arriving back there
on 20 November 1934, but sadly its days
ended on 20 December that year when it
crashed in a fatal accident during a sand-
storm near Rutbah Wells in Iraq.
The Douglas DC-2, c/n1286, ex A30-11,
NC13736 was originally operated by East-
ern Airlines in the USA, after which it was
purchased by the RAAF in 1941 and sold to
Sid Marshall in 1946. It was stored on his
property bordering Bankstown airport until
purchased by the Albury West Rotary Club
in 1979. After restoration it was painted to
represent ‘Uiver’ and mounted upon three
poles at Albury Airport. Later a number of
large bronze plaques were mounted on a
brick wall, beneath the aircraft, detailing
the history of the 1935 London to Melbourne
Centenary Air Race. Due to the aircraft’s
structure deteriorating, it was removed
from its elevated position in 2002 and at the
time of writing its future is uncertain.
Late in 1983, with the 50th anniversary ofthe MacRobertson race approaching, Rob
Swaneborg of the Netherlands Broadcasting
Corporation conceived the idea of making a
documentary film on the role played by
KLM’s Uiver. He envisaged a DC-2 retracing
the route of the original race. He located the
(then) only airworthy DC-2 in the world and
commenced negotiations to lease the air-
craft. It was Douglas DC-2 c/n 1404,
NC39165, an ex U.S. Navy transport air-
craft, owned by Colgate Darden, a nuclear
physics professor, based in South Carolina.
The aircraft was dismantled and shipped to
Holland where it was completely overhauled
by KLM, and painted to represent Uiver.
The re-enactment flight left England on
18 December 1983 and after a very leisure-
ly flight, to allow for filming, landed at La-